Eggs and a surprise CSN GIVEAWAY



Well I am not ready to sell eggs just yet.  My hens have not even started to lay eggs yet.  They are 13 weeks old this week.  They are all quite beautiful.  We have 22 or 23, not sure cause they all move around when we try to count.  My husband and I joked last night that when we open the coop up in the morning, one of us should stand outside the coop and count them.  The other one would herd them out of the coop. 

Last night I took their heat lamp away.  I plan on getting a timer for the lamp, so it shuts off around 9am and turns on around 5am.  I am not an early rising farmer.  All my animals have adjusted to the feed schedule of 8am.  They are healthy and happy so that is good.  I was reading somewhere about people who farmed and had jobs.  It was stated that alot of people do the earlier morning animal tending due to having to do work else where.  Come to think of it, I bet the reason farmers tended to the animals so early was to get out in the fields before it got to warm or so they would have enough daylight to get everything done.  Its easier to tend to animals earlier than it is to drive a tractor around a dark field.  Although, I do remember my dad driving his tractor in the dark field a couple times.  I think bad storms were coming the next day or something.  Anyway point is, I don't get up at 5am for anything any more.  Even the dog has learned to hold it til 6am when the kids get up. 

All that being said, I researched our approximate daily egg collection based on 22 chickens.  We should get 11 to 12 eggs minimum a day.  My husband laughed when I said that.  But the thing is for a family of 6 that is only a few eggs per person a day.  If I choose to bake, make deviled eggs, fry eggs, or any other cool recipes then that is plenty.  Now if we start getting two dozen a day, then I will have to start looking into selling them.  As I said right now we have 22 or 23 chickens, we could get another 25 this spring as layers.  We are also planning on getting 25 meat chickens, to see how we can stock the freezer with chicken.  So at some point I will be selling some eggs.  So I did research on storage and how to sell them.  

To sell them the easiest thing to do is put a sign out front and talk to people.  As far as storing them, eggs can keep up to one month in the fridge.  When collecting the eggs we would just put a date on the carton. So for now I am currently saving up cartons.  Although I buy 18 pack cartons of eggs right now, I will switch to a dozen egg carton soon.  I do know of some neighbors that are willing to save their egg cartons and I plan on sharing some eggs with them.  

So now, its just sit and wait.  The hens are currently 13 weeks old.  They will start laying anywhere from 17 weeks to 22 weeks old.  Hopefully closer to 17 weeks.  As you saw in my previous post, I feel that they need to start earning their keep.  

 NOW, for our surprise giveaway. CSN Stores.com has everything from books, furniture, appliances, to swingsets.  Check out this link http://www.swingsetsandmore.com/ and you can gain an extra entry by commenting on what you would love to have from the site linked above.  The winner will recieve a $15 Gift Certificate.

Must live US & Canada. (CSN ships to those countries.)

Does not cover any shipping costs but you can use it on ANY product from ANY one of their sites.

All entries must be made by 2/28/2011 and winners will be announced 3/1/2011


Have a great day.
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  WINNER LIZ